Oklahoma to return hydroxychloroquine supply, get refund

Oklahoma’s purchase of $2.6 million worth of a much-hyped drug to treat COVID-19 will end where it started: back at the California drug wholesaler who sold the shipment a year ago at the outset of the pandemic.

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter said Friday the state had reached an agreement with FFF Enterprises Inc. to take back the 1.2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine. The agreement means the company won’t face a lawsuit alleging the state overpaid for the drug, which is commonly used to treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent malaria. FFF denied overcharging the state.

“The state of Oklahoma is no longer interested in owning or possessing the products purchased from FFF Enterprises and has sought to return the products in exchange for a refund of total purchase price,” the settlement agreement said.

After inspecting the hydroxychloroquine shipment, FFF Enterprises will refund the money to the state over five quarters. The state will pay for shipping charges or fees, the agreement said.

In a statement, Hunter credited the company’s leadership for working with the state to find a solution.

“They recognized we were in competition with every other state in the nation to get whatever we could to protect Oklahomans,” Hunter said. “When it was determined the drug wasn’t effective in combating the virus, they did the right thing by refunding our money.”

Last month, Oklahoma Watch reported the shipment was sent to a small pharmacy in Pryor, but officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Health were reluctant to explain why or how the shipment was sent to Beggs Pharmacy. A member of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Coronavirus Solutions Task Force, Clayton Bullard, said the pharmacy was going to make $1.05 on each prescription for the drug.